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The rules are few: Use 99% fresh ingredients (or thereabouts); make the dish simple but flavorful; make the dish flavorful but simple; be creative, not silly.

With this blog, I want to share new recipes, along with tips on ingredients and preparation, and, hopefully, show new cooks (and non-cooks) the pleasure in setting the table with a delicious homemade meal. The Briny Lemon is about fresh, simple, flavorful ingredients and easy cooking methods that help you bring the best to your family table. Your comments are welcome!

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Red Wine-Cherry Glaze

Rich, tasty glazes and sauces
turn simple chicken breasts into flavor-loaded dinners. I like using various fruit preserves as bases for glazes because they’re already a bit thick and sticky.
Cherry preserves are especially good because you get lots of whole pitted
cherries in the mix—which enhances both flavor and visual appeal. Tip: As they cook
down, gently smash some of the cherries against the side of the pan to help them
combine with the other ingredients and thicken the glaze.

For this recipe, I balanced
the sweetness of the preserves with a little dry red wine for deeper, richer
flavor (and color).

Heat a small saucepan over
medium-low heat and melt the butter. Add the shallot and cook, stirring
frequently, 2 minutes.

Add the cherry preserves, wine,
and mustard and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a light simmer, then
reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently and gently smashing some
of the whole cherries, until slightly thickened, 10-11 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir
in the chopped rosemary. Let stand while the chicken cooks. (The glaze will
continue to thicken as it cools.)

Shallot in Butter

Glaze Beginning to Cook

Cooked Glaze

Red Wine-Cherry Glaze

Heat a large,
heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil,
swirling to coat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the
skillet. Cook until golden on the bottom, 7-8 minutes.

Turn the
breasts over and cook until golden on the other side and just cooked through,
7-8 minutes longer, depending on thickness. (Tip: Lay a sheet of
aluminum foil lightly over the skillet to help retain moisture as the chicken
finishes.)

Add the red wine-cherry glaze
to the pan and turn the breasts several times to coat.

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About Me

I'm an editor for a university marketing department and an avid home cook. I love creating recipes to share, and since I cook nearly every day, my resources are plentiful. I've published more than 650 recipes and food articles online.